Report of two day field visit to Loch Tummel Pearl-bordered Fritillary Network

1. Report of two day field visit to Loch Tummel Pearl-bordered Fritillary Network By Andrew Masterman 28 March 2008 using GPS, measure out the main clearings at various site compartments take photographs of site compartments assess need for management – scrub/tree clearance and bracken spraying make further habitat assessments such as abundance of dog violet if possible

2. Summary • 12 existing compartments visited on 26 & 27 March 2008 • although time of year not ideal, south-facing bracken hillsides were clearly identifiable but dog violet not easy to find • some large compartments (>10 ha) were found • key feature of network is the west-east wayleave which comprised mostly steep, dry south facing bracken hillside • survey and photographs show the large extent of thick bracken litter and the need for bracken control. • Good habitat also present along stretches of north side of road and several north-south wayleaves link road to main wayleave

3. Overview of site compartments visited: small features not visible at this resolution. Red line crudely shows path of main west-east wayleave. Blue areas are Forestry Commission blocks. Loch Tummel Pearl-bordered Fritillary Network - West

4. Easter Bohespic • Started at Easter Bohespic in far west • Last visited by David Spooner 29/5/97 when 5 PBF seen • Size circa 9 Ha but site extends further west – will investigate in further visit • Good PBF habitat but thick bracken litter 20-30% of site & birch woodland perhaps a threat too • Recommend site assessment in May to assess need for management

5. Easter Bohespic –Photo 1

6. Easter Bohespic – Photo 2

7. Easter Bohespic – Photo 3

8. Easter Bohespic – Photo 4

9. Two new site compartments • Main west-east wayleave passes to south of Easter Bohespic across wetter unsuitable habitat and then heads south • Tummel Bridge Wayleave 1 is where this splits with piece going east to form main west-east wayleave (photo 3) and another piece continuing south – most is flat and wet (Photo 2) but good habitat nr road ~ 4 ha (Photo 1) • Tummel Bridge 2 is a small bit of marginal habitat associated with a short north-south wayleave

10. Tummel Bridge Wayleave 1 –Photo 1

11. Tummel Bridge Wayleave 1 – Photo 2

12. Tummel Bridge Wayleave 1 – Photo 3

13. Tummel Bridge Wayleave 2

14. Tummel Bridge • Tummel Bridge was last visited by Tom Brereton 9/6/97 when he saw 1 PBF • The area he visited is now Holiday Homes. • To the north of the holiday homes on the north side of the road, some good habitat ~ 100m deep merges with the wayleave but birch woodland is well-established here • To the north of the wayleave, a large area of south-facing bracken hillside bordered by birch & coniferous woodland was discovered but bracken litter was thick and dog violet not found • Further clear areas to east may be present – need to re-visit. • These compartments need to be revisited in May to confirm PBF here and if so, bracken spraying required. Perhaps birch clearance by holiday homes. • Compartment Dalcroy which was visited by Ron Youngman is at eastern extent of this site.

15. Tummel Bridge Holiday Homes

16. Tummel Bridge Hillside

17. Bohally • This compartment was last visited by Ron Youngman on 23/5/98 when 9 PBF seen • Ron described site as “Basically a road verge with scrub below conifer plantation” • This description was confirmed and a Bohally north-south wayleave linking with main west-east wayleave identified.

18. Bohally Wayleave

19. Looking west along main wayleave from Bohally Wayleave

20. Aldcharmaig Wayleaves • Ron Youngman visited the main west-east wayleave at NN802599 on 2/6/4 and saw 2 PBF. • Two north-south wayleaves joining the road to the west-east wayleave were identified • Further habitat along north side of road below conifer plantation

21. Ardchalmaig Wayleave 1- looking north

22. Ardchalmaig Wayleave 2 – looking south

23. Looking east along main wayleave from Ardchalmaig Wayleave 1

24. Looking west along main wayleave from Aldcharmaig Wayleave 2

25. Loch Tummel – Tressait area There is a big gap in the conifer plantations above Strath Tummel associated with Tressait farm. Most of this area is intensively grazed by cattle and sheep and some is moorland. But there are some areas of good quality PBF habitat, mostly at Croft Douglas. Borenich site is probably too intensively grazed by cattle to offer good habitat but it is a south facing bracken hillside.

26. Tressait Pasture This area visited by Tom Brereton 9/6/97. This small pasture with bracken may provide a marginal pocket of habitat for PBF

27. Croft Douglas • Last visited by Richard Buckland 30/05/04 when 1 PBF seen. • Dog violet could be found here and site appears to be high quality PBF habitat. • Site divided in two halves by barbed wire fence and the main wayleave passes through site. • Western half is cattle grazed and fairly open, eastern half has mature birch woodland to north and south of wayleave and would benefit from having some woodland glades created.

28. Croft Douglas West – Photo 1

29. Croft Douglas West – Photo 2

30. Croft Douglas East – Photo 1 Looking east along wayleave from barbed–wire fence.

31. Croft Douglas East- Photo 2 Looking east along path

32. Croft Douglas East – Photo 3 Looking west along wayleave with birch woodland either side

33. Borenich • Ron Youngman has visited the wayleave thru the conifer plantation 23/5/98 and 02/06/04 and found 1 & 5 PBF respectively. • West of conifer plantation is a south-facing bracken hillside grazed by cattle which was mapped out • Some habitat along north side of road too.

34. Borenich Foreground not suitable habitat but large area of south facing bracken hillside higher up but heavily poached by cattle- no dog violet seen

35. Looking west along main wayleave at Borenich conifer plantation

36. Looking east along main wayleave at Borenich Conifer plantation

37. Roadside east of Borenich